Director: Kevin Smith
Cast: Justin Long, Michael Parks, Hayley Joel Osment, Genesis Rodriguez, Johnny Depp
Certificate: 15
Running Time: 102 minutes
Special Features: Director’s commentary with Kevin Smith / Animated podcast
Kevin Smith loves his podcasts. The director publishes weekly casts via his channel ‘SModcast’ and without it Tusk would never have ben written. The idea for the film came up during an episode titled ‘The Walrus and the Carpenter‘ wherein the director discussed an ad he’d read in a newspaper. The story in particular involved a man seeking a lodger who could live with him rent free in exchange wearing a walrus costume for a period of times.
Although later revealed as a being a hoax ad, it did however get the creative juices flowing, birthing the film idea. Tusk has Justin Long star as Wallace, a co-host of a frat-boy aimed podcast ‘The Not-See Party’, who whilst researching a story for the show finds himself held captive by a recluse who literally wants to turn him into a walrus.
Filled with the usual Kevin Smith humour, Tusk is surprisingly compelling and engaging with really interesting ideas. Watching Wallace’s journey from inhuman narcissist to soulful beast will keep you watching for the full run-time. Granted it’s more twisted than a Helter-Skelter, but those with an appetite for the dark will appreciate what Smith is trying to achieve.
Justin Long, better known these days for his comedic skills, started out in Jeepers Creepers and with Tusk is given the opportunity to play both sides. Michael Parks is brilliant as Wallace’s captor with a walrus fetish, but the most unexpected cast member is one Johnny Depp. Depp plays the kooky detective who helps Wallace’s co host and girlfriend in the search for their missing friend and is almost completely unrecognisable.
Tusk is proof that The Human Centipede has a lot to answer for. Thankfully though Smith has crafted a much more mainstream off-beat story which is less about shock appeal and more about ideas.
Fans of Kevin Smith will enjoy his commentary which is basically just an extra long podcast. The only other feature that we got to play with was a short animation of the podcast that started it all.
Tusk is available to buy on Blu-ray and DVD now.
